The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-15

II cOulQn get the Dralu, UIetd, tney
don't keep it, she answered. 1T is a
bonnet braid, anyhow, and that wouldn't
do for your dress
"A bonnet braid. dear me! How stu
pid dreSsmaker can be-" Gretchen ex-
claimed, impaticntly. "But if she will
only have the dress finished somehow by
the time Dir. Lcstrange gets here Iwon't
urumble about minor blunders. And
now. Dodo, do be obliging and help me
with the trimmings of'the ancient ball
gown"
'It is too ancient to be rejuvenized,
Grcta: it ought to be replaced by new
gown altogether. said Dodo, looking
with decided resistance at the task sug-
gcsted.
1T depends on you, Dodo, whether
We any of u. ever have anything ne"
again" sighed faded little woman from
her invalid chair before the fire.
Dodo looked distressed, and all the
lovely color suddenly palcd from her
pretty cheeks.
oh, auntv. how does it depend on
mc?" she faltered, although she guessed
what the alusion meant.
y
81 think you will never quite forget
the hours which we have passed together
here" he said, with seemingly a regret
full glance around the room, and at moth
crly Mrs. Mcrron. asleep over her knit
ting before the fire. "They have been
hours to be remembered by both of us" ]"
He had bent over her until his dark
mustachc brushed her forehead; he had
claSped both her hands. There was the
tenderest 81 significance in his musical
tones; the fascination Of what seemed
tendcre$t love giowcd in the brilliant
eyes.
Dodo trembled. She had made him
her hero undoubtedly; but in that in
slant her whole being recoiled from him.
Why. she could not have explained; she
only know she was aroused somehow to
true knowledge of her own feelings.
He had charmed her fancies for the mo-
mcnt. perhaps. but no love-swcet and
supreme-would ever thrill her soul for
him.
Il ought to have gone BEFORE he
continued, uneasily, as if he were dread
ing some reproach from Dodo herself
"But I was hardly presentable with a
putfed and purple bruise decorating
goodly half of my countenance. And
my destination is nearer than you
guessed, Dodo; my dear little girl, you
and are to meet again, and often"
Dodo noticed the uneasiness of his
tones. his entire changed expression, and
with sudden quick instinct she grasped
the truth.
You are-are-Mr. Lestrange ?" she
grasped, with a strange look in her big
brown eyes. You are my cousin Greta's
promised husband"
He bowed IN a manner so conscious
and embarrassed that all Dedo's honest
little soul arose to hot Indignation against
him.
He was no longer hero in her sight.
He was an insincere, shallow triaer, who
had amused himself with her simple
bushes at his practiced fattery.
Such sublime audacity, such consum-
mate falsity, stunned her. With look
of whitening scorn she turned and left
him III utter ulSuSC.
Il pity Greta. cross and selfish as she
is" Dodo thought, as she went slowly up
the steps of the old yellow stone mansion.
As she entered the pleasant family
sitting-room Greta pressed rudely and
past her and tripped up the
stairs.
Mrs. Gray was weeping almost convul-
sively in her invalid chair before the
fire.
What has happened, aunty?" the girl
aueried, anxiously and affectionately.
Dodo was sincerely attached to her
invalid aunt. whose trials had, indeed,
been many and grievous.
"It is that mortgage" was the piteous
answer. "There is to be an immediate
foreclosure. We shall be absolutely
homeless; there won't be 800 left after
the sale. I don't care for myself, nor so
much on Greta's accOunt-she can earn
her own living if she chooses; but there
are the poor children-Tommy and
Willy. What will become of them?'
Dodo stopped and kissed her aunt in
gentle sympathy, but she was silent.
"Dodo. 1 can't ask you to do anything
that might make you unhappy" the
weeping woman resumed, ''and it seems
cruel to remind you that I have been like
a mother to you. But, my dear, if you
only would consider everything and then
decide to do what I would like. And
David is waiting for you, dear. He is in
the parlor now.''
Dodo's pretty face flushed with sud
den sense of her own lack of feeling for
others. She had not considered every
thing as she might have done-that was
certain.
Mrs. Grey had indeed been like
mother to her. In her orphaned and pen
nilcss childhood she had been taken into
the family as one of their own. She had
shared and shared alike with them in
everything; no hint of her dependence
had ever been permitted to pain her.
Even the selfish and sometimes disagree
able Greta had treated her entirely as
sister. And when the dear, kind uncle
left them she mourncd him as one who
had been to her like an indulgent father.
The flush had vanished from her pretty
cheeks; her face was pale and her large
brown eyes very serious as she opened
the parlor door and advanced rather tim
idly toward the gentleman waiting for
her.
The serious eyes dropped and her
voice choked as she glanced ut the earn
est face and fine Saxon-looking figure of
her paticnt, true, old lover.
l. j b. l.